By Jim Henry
jhenry@joplinglobe.com
PITTSBURG, Kan. — Missouri Southern’s offense produced a total of seven hits as the Lions lost to Rogers State (Okla.) 4-3 and St. Cloud State (Minn.) 8-0 Friday in the Pittsburg State Classic at the PSU Softball Complex.
“Off for two weeks, we need to get our sticks back,” Lions head coach Aron Potter said. “We have to come back and get back in the rhythm of it.”
The Lions (1-12) also need to get some pitchers healthy.
“We’re banged up on our pitching staff,” Potter said. “I have two pitchers sitting over there in slings (Tara Kuykendall and Lindsay Bellm), and Tamika (Barnes) is hurt, too. I have two other kids throwing ... that wasn’t their intent to have to throw all year.
“We’re trying to get Tara a lot of rest and letting her see if she’s even going to be able to come back and throw. We don’t know right now We’ll see what next week brings for her.”
Rogers State pitcher Kelli Dunagan struck out 15 Lions and walked one while allowing three hits.
Two of the hits came in the fourth when the Lions scored their three runs.
Amanda Godfrey reached on an error and stopped at second on Angie Turner’s single to center. A throwing error on Megan Roark’s bunt allowed Godfrey to score and left runners at second and third. With one out, Andrea Childs doubled down the left-field line to score pinch runner Bellm and Turner.
Pitcher Tamika Barnes went the distance for the Lions, allowing four hits, waking six and striking out four.
Rogers State (19-3) took a 1-0 lead in the first and added three runs in the third, capped by Sara Walkup’s two-run single to center.
“I thought we played very well (against Rogers State),” Potter said. “We did some good things. Considering we had been off two weeks, I thought we played pretty good first game.
St. Cloud State (21-4) used the long ball to beat the Lions.
Shortstop Jenny Gensch lined two-run home runs to left-center field in the fourth and fifth innings, giving her 14 homers for the season after her third multi-homer game. Sara Sbragia hit a two-run shot in the sixth, her ninth, and singled home another run in the seventh.
“That is the old St. Cloud,” Potter said. “It’s kind of odd they did a lot of slapping and drag bunting (against Pittsburg State in a 4-3 victory). St. Cloud has always been the kids who sit back, grip it and rip it and hit it out of the park. That’s what they did against us.”
Sbragia’s homer came after a mistake on the Lions’ lineup card gave the Huskies an extra out.
Before the sixth inning started, the Lions’ Kelli Bax moved in from shortstop to replace Barnes on the mound. Bax retired Sarah Stalker on a flyball to left fielder Julie Taylor, but after the ball was caught, St. Cloud State coach Paula U’Ren told the plate umpire that Bax was listed on the lineup card as No. 4 instead of 14. As a result, Stalker was placed on first base, Bax had to leave the game, and Sbragia greeted reliever Lauryn Berger with her homer.
“I had a 4 down instead of 14,” Potter said. “First time that’s happened, ever.”
Childs doubled in the second and singled in the fourth to account for half of the Lions’ hits.
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